It seems as though the older I get, the more I break out… I thought I’d have outgrown this after my schoolgirl days. Buuuuuut, no!!! I decided it was finally time to switch up my hodgepodge of “drugstore, meets facialist, meets department store” skincare routine. For years, I used Clean & Clear Continuous Control ACNE Cleanser, which kept me clean and clear for nearly a decade, but not so much anymore! I had paired it with Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, but this yellow moisturizer started to feel a little heavy on my skin.

Finally, I hit the skin care aisle of my local pharmacy and stood there reading bottles of lotions and potions for about half an hour. For my daily cleanser, I picked up Aveeno Positively Radiant Cleanser ($8.99 at Amazon.com
). It gets off every bit of makeup, including mascara, without stripping my skin. This is a soap and oil-free cleanser that is gentle enough to use every day, even on sensitive skin. After a couple of uses, I started to get that deep cleaning tingle and my skin has finally cleared up. As the bottle says, it truely does “bring out skin’s natural radiance and even out skin tone and texture. Come to find out, this cleanser was an InStyle magazine editor’s pick for great skin in your 30s and was named an “Allure Best of Beauty” for 2009!

I went to see a dermatologist for the first time recently and she suggested that I use Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer after washing my face. It is literally “dermatologist recommended”! I opted for the SPF 15 formula ($10.99 at Amazon.com
) because I am seriously avoiding skin damage (aka – the sun) these days. I am so lucky that I do not have fine lines or crows feet just yet, and I’d like to keep it that way. Cetaphil is a lightweight non-greasy moisturizer that hydrates while protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
After washing with Aveeno Positively Radiant Cleanser and moisturizing with Cetaphil, my skin feels so clean and my “problem areas” have definitely improved. These skin care products are much more accessible and less expensive than some of the products I was getting from a facialist and department stores… and I can’t believe they work better! In addition to these two products, I exfoliate and use a facial self-tanner two to three times a week.